


Time For Heroes

by HeroesCanSaveYou



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Rock Band, Angst, British, Comedy, Drama, Festivals, Indie Music, Interviews, London, M/M, NME, Romance, Sex Drugs and Rock and Roll, Team 7 - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-18
Updated: 2014-09-23
Packaged: 2017-12-15 09:18:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/847855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeroesCanSaveYou/pseuds/HeroesCanSaveYou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Naruto had known he had hated Sasuke from the moment he laid eyes in him. Okay, so perhaps not that exact moment, but it couldn't have been long after - perhaps it had been when the bastard had opened his mouth and brutally dissected Naruto, his music and his band. Yeah, that had probably been it. So why is he kissing him all the time? And why are the now playing in a band together. NaruxSasuxNaru AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A Naruto x Sasuke (x Naruto) AU story.
> 
> Rated M. This story will contain drinking, smoking, rock and roll, bad language, drug references and use, references to England and British things and sexual situations.
> 
> I do not own Naruto, or the songs mentioned in this story.
> 
> Story was inspired by the relationship of the British band The Libertines, any songs mentioned in this belong to them!

Naruto had known he had hated Sasuke from the moment he laid eyes in him. Okay, so perhaps not that exact moment, but it couldn't have been long after - perhaps it had been when the bastard had opened his mouth and brutally dissected Naruto, his music and his band. Yeah, that had probably been it.

Naruto, Gaara and Sakura had just finished their set - a damn good set in Naruto's opinion - at what was The Whirlpools first live gig. They had played a handful of their own songs and then had a performed (what everyone had assured Naruto) a version of 'That's Entertainment' by The Jam that was every bit as good as the original. While Naruto would admit it hadn't been perfect, for the bands first proper gig – he felt that it had been pretty successful. The audience was filled with friends, acquaintances and people unfortunate enough to be in the London pub that afternoon and they had been cheering and dancing enthusiastically and as the band climbed down from the stage Naruto felt on top of the world. He gratefully accepted the drink Kiba was holding out for him and began to discuss the performance loudly with his friend. Kiba had thrown his arm around his shoulder and Shikamaru was there, and awake, which was the most praise he could get from his lazy friend when Naruto spied Sakura talking away to a dark haired man Naruto had never seen before. A very attractive dark haired man who made even the 'confident in his love for Sakura' Naruto give him a once over. Still, he had to save Sakura from him, even though Naruto had agreed to let up on the love declarations now Sakura was in the band, he couldn't let her be taken away right in front of his eyes. He detached himself from Kiba and wandered over, smiling as Sakura grabbed his arm and pulled him to stand beside her.

"Naruto! This is Sasuke, we were just talking about the gig," Sakura introduced them.

Sasuke turned to look at him, but didn't say anything. Naruto grinned despite Sasuke's cold attitude. Nothing could bring him down, not even antisocial bastards.

"You enjoy it?" Naruto asked brightly. Sasuke turned so he was facing them in profile now, leaning against the bar and slowly lit a cigarette as he contemplated an answer.

"You need another guitar player, you aren't good enough to sing and play lead guitar at the same time and it threw the band off rhythm sometimes. You're songs are okay - sometimes you even have an okay tune in there but some of your lyrics are terrible. Like only a true moron could write. I'm not sure what sound you were going for, and I don't think you know. But with more practice, someone else writing your songs and another guitarist one day you might be actually able to listen to you and not want to cut your own ears off." Sasuke finished, smirking at the look of shock on the pink haired girls face and the anger and contempt on the blondes.

Okay, Sasuke thought, so perhaps he had been a little harsh - the songs hadn't been terrible - in fact he'd been impressed by one or two, but there was something about the blonde and his happy, smiling face that just irritated Sasuke.

A feeling the blonde apparently shared if the fist he had thrown at Sasuke's face was any indication.

"Naruto!" Sakura yelled as Sasuke stumbled back, grabbing the edge of the bar for support.

"Moron, that didn't even hurt," Sasuke goaded, preparing to throw himself at the other, but Sakura stepped between them.

"Stop it. Naruto, we have talked about your temper before! And god knows we are always saying how we get no constructive criticism as a band and you go and punch the first person that gives us any? Sasuke if you think you can help us get better, come along to one of our rehearsals. Put your money where your mouth is." Sakura proposed, despite Naruto's indignant squeaks in the background. Sasuke was quiet for a moment before he stubbed out his cigarette and turned to the barman ignoring the stares from most of the bar.

"You got a pen?" He asked, the barman nodded and handed it to Sasuke who felt around in his pockets for a scrap of paper. He pulled out an old bus ticket and scribbled his number down before handing it to Sakura. "Don't call on Wednesdays," he warned her before downing the last of his whiskey and walking from the bar.

Conversation began to return now that there was no longer the prospect of a fight and Sakura stared wide-eyed at the number on the paper.

"I got his phone number," she murmured to herself as Gaara and their other friends gathered to see what had set Naruto off. "The hottest guy alive and I have his number,"

Naruto snatched the paper from her hands and waved it angrily in her face.

"I should burn it! What the hell Sakura? The pompous dick stood there and insulted us and you go asking him to come watch us?" Naruto fumed, stomping his foot on the ground as Kiba handed him a beer and nodded in support.

"You are such a drama queen - and don't you dare rip that up!" Sakura yelled, punching Naruto in the stomach, causing him to cough and double over. "Everything he said we know! But none of our friends are going to give us an honest musical opinion like that are they? Look we aren't asking him to join the band - it's just for his opinion Naruto. Besides, have you seen his face?"

Gaara nodded in agreement and after Naruto stopped howling in betrayal, he finally consented to get an outsider's honest opinion on the band and their music - on the condition Sasuke did not join the band.

Three weeks later, Sasuke was in the band.


	2. Chapter 2

"If you could just remind me at what point we declared you our leader Sasuke?" Naruto hissed, kicking the microphone stand over as Sasuke fiddled with an amp in the dingy rehearsal room.

"I think it was probably about the time I started pulling in gigs that actually paid us and when I started writing songs people actually like to listen to," Sasuke announced coolly, not looking up from what he was doing. Naruto growled and Sasuke did turn then, to cast disinterested eyes over his band mate.

"You prick, we write those songs together and you fucking know it!" Naruto yelled, glaring at the dark haired man.

Gaara stepped forward then, placing a calming hand on Naruto's shoulder as Sakura dropped her head to rest on the drum set in front of her as yet another argument on 'who was the better song writer' looked set to begin.

"We only have the rehearsal space for another hour, and like it or not, we now have a big gig supporting Sound next week so need all the rehearsal time we can get," Gaara calmly informed Naruto, who continued to glare at Sasuke even as he reluctantly consented to let the argument go.

He wrapped his arms around Gaara and sniffed dramatically, resting his head on the other mans shoulder.

"I would kill him if it wasn't for you," He murmured and Gaara just stood quietly, socially awkward enough to still be unsure at what to do with this kind of interaction, and in moments a smile was back on Naruto's face, as he poked fun at his inept friend.

Sasuke watched the exchange quietly as he fiddled with his guitar, feeling strangely irked at their conversation. He shook it off – he was just annoyed at Naruto in general, not Naruto's touchy feely relationship with Gaara. The blonde really had the ability to get under his skin but Sasuke had to admit, that Naruto was really quite talented when it came to writing songs – with an ability to pick up and add to a tune annoyingly fast. He seemed to know exactly what parts should be added to a song to give it a certain sound – and while sometimes his lyrical ability was lacking – that was the area in which Sasuke really picked up the slack. He had to admit, the two of them did work well together – even if they did spend half their time competing with one another.

Sasuke had been a member of the band for four months now, and in that time had completely re-written every song the band had, and had produced a few new ones. He had also begun to get paying gigs, using his connections from his job at an indie record store to get bigger and better venues – even some support jobs for some big local bands and they had even done a small tour across southern England with one band.

Naruto had begrudgingly agreed, after hours of convincing by Sakura, that both he and Sasuke should sing in the band and while this had led to a few hairy situations (one time they had physically fought on stage because Sasuke claimed Naruto had sung the wrong words) most people who saw them perform had told them it was a winning combination.

Naruto picked up the microphone stand and let Sakura tap them in, trying not to look at the dark haired man next to him, who had waltzed in and stolen his band and started getting them the kind of gigs that Naruto could only dream off. He huffed, closing his eyes and just letting the tune flow over him, the energy and beat of the song pounding into him and then began to sing – hearing Sasuke's voice rise up and meet his own.

As much as he hated to admit it Sasuke was talented, and had helped him to write some brilliant songs, that had captured exactly the sound and tone Naruto had imagined in his head when he had first envisioned his band. They complemented one another; each encompassing strengths that the other one lacked and their rivalry pushed them to work harder and harder. Sakura told him it was just that they didn't understand each other that they fought, but Naruto wasn't sure. He understood Sasuke fine, it was just that the other was a cold, antisocial prick.

The rehearsal finished without another incident, although Sakura and Gaara were keeping tight control on the situation and when they took a break, they were careful to keep the two boys out of the same room. The difficulty came, however, when it came time for Sakura to drive them all home, but she found the two boys were still being alarmingly civil.

"So," she approached the topic tentatively as she struggled her way through the heavy London traffic. "Do you really think there will be record company guys at this Sound gig?"

Naruto snorted from the front seat.

"What a stupid band name," he muttered, rifling through the glove box for a CD. Sasuke made a noise from the back seat that sounded suspiciously like he was agreeing with Naruto.

"Tell me about it. I mean I'm not too thrilled with keeping The Whirlpools but Sound is a million times worse,"

Naruto turned suddenly staring back at Sasuke with an intensity that made Sasuke want to squirm.

"I told you. We don't change the name," Naruto growled, and Sasuke tilted his head, it what could be seen as agreement. Naruto, apparently appeased by the gesture turned back to his task, though why that movement had pleased him neither Sakura nor Gaara were sure.

"It's probably lucky for us that they sound as terrible as their name, from what Neiji was saying a record company is coming just to hear us," Sasuke continued on as if Naruto's interruption had never happened, wincing as Sakura peeled off into the left hand lane without indicating.

Naruto raised an eyebrow at the movement, but didn't comment – knowing better than to mention Sakura's less than perfect driving to the woman herself. He had made that mistake before and found himself dumped unceremoniously on the road and informed he could walk home himself. They had been two hours from home at the time. Sasuke had smirked about the incident for weeks.

The rest of the car ride was filled with arguments about what music to listen to and nervous questions about the upcoming gig, and soon they were pulling up near the Soho flat that Naruto lived in with his eccentric godfather. Below the flat was the brightly lit 'adult goods' shop that his godfather owned, and that Naruto worked in when he wasn't playing with the band.

"Are you working tonight?" Sakura asked, as Naruto climbed out of the car. He scratched his cheek, bending down to talk to the group through the open car door, ignoring that Sakura had pulled up on a doubled yellow lined road.

"Ah yeah, promised to mind it for the old man while he is out wooing young ladies. I'll swing by your place to talk about some kind of set list when we close up though?"

"Why do sex shops even need to be open so late?" Sasuke wondered, peering suspiciously at the building behind Naruto.

"Sasuke, who are we to dictate at what time of day people can or cannot buy butt plugs? Sexual deviancy waits for no man!" Naruto cried, slamming the car door shut dramatically as he grinned at them through the window. Sakura pulled a face, but Sasuke found himself smirking back at the grinning blonde.

Naruto turned and ducked across the road, his leather jacket collar turned up against the wind and his perfect ass clearly visible through his tight jeans. Not that Sasuke was looking.

Sooner than they had thought possible the night of the concert rolled around and fifteen minutes before their appointed set time found Naruto and Sasuke sat outside the venue on a low wall sharing their third cigarette and anxiously passing a bottle of vodka between them. They had only been able to stump up enough cash for one bottle and one packet between the two of them, even after tipping all of their pennies onto the counter of the corner shop. Deciding that if they tried to split it all evenly half and half they would inevitably ending up arguing, they decided this method of dividing the spoils worked much better.

They sat in silence, staring out at the dingy wall of the alleyway and waited for Sakura to complete her pre-gig mantra in the tiny cupboard they had been given as a backstage area. Naruto was jiggling his leg and Sasuke found himself reaching out and placing his hand on Naruto's jean clad thigh to try and stop the irritating movement. They both stilled, Naruto's eyes falling on the hand on his leg, the warm weight of which he could feel through the material of his trousers. His eyes slid up the arm to Sasuke's face to find he was staring at his hand as well, as if it had moved without his permission.

Naruto wasn't sure if it was his nerves, but he felt a sudden desire to move the hand higher up his leg and see what it would feel like pressed against a different area.

The door swung open behind them and in an instant the hand and the thought was gone.

"That's time, guys." A roadie announced and Sasuke nodded, taking a final swig of vodka and grinding the cigarette out on the wall next to him. Naruto jumped down and turned to look back up at Sasuke, a huge grin on his face. Sasuke though it might be the first time Naruto had ever looked at him like that, and found he was offering a small smile in return, his heart pounding.

"All right, lets do this thing!" Naruto laughed and held out a fist up at Sasuke. Sasuke jumped down from the wall, and brushed past the hand.

"Like hell am I going to fist bump you, moron," Sasuke told him and Naruto pouted behind him, his hands going up behind the back of his head and revealing a thin strip of tanned skin from beneath his white t-shirt.

"Bastard," Naruto muttered, but there was a smile on his face and for the first time Sasuke didn't really feel like it was an insult.

The performance passed without incident and Naruto felt like he was on top of the world as he stumbled down off the stage and into the backstage area. Sakura was practically bouncing around the hallway, waving her drumsticks in Naruto's face and even Gaara had a small smile on his face. Naruto had slung an arm around Sasuke's shoulders and the weight of it was warm and comforting.

"So what do we do now?" Sakura asked breathlessly and took a swig from the vodka bottle Naruto offered her.

"I don't really know," Sasuke admitted, wiping his face with his t-shirt. "Go out and mingle I guess," he murmured, remembering all the faces that were staring back at him during their set. At the time he hadn't paid much attention to them, too caught up in his on stage battle with Naruto, but now he found himself trying to remember peoples face to see if any of them could have looked like they were from a record company.

"All right!" Naruto cried, releasing Sasuke and tugging his white t-shirt off and pulling an identical one on from his bag.

A few minutes later and the four of them stood self-consciously at the venue bar, gratefully accepting a free drink from an excitable fan. Sound had started up now, screeching some god awful noise about bringing down the government and Naruto pulled a face, hoping their own music would not be tarnished with the association to Sound's attempt at a punk revival.

"Well," Naruto announced, as he slammed his empty glass down on the bar. "I'm off for a post performance slash,"

He wandered off, ignoring Sasuke's revolted face and Sakura's tutting at such a statement and squeezed his way through the mass of moving bodies to a cooler, quieter corridor where the toilets were. He held the door open for a strange looking silver haired man who was walking behind him and wandered down the corridor, dodging the haggard figures dotting the floor.

He pushed through the throng of people all slipping into cubicles, no doubt to snort drugs in the privacy of their own stall, and quickly made his way to the urinals, smiling and nodding at the affectionate fans he encountered on his way. He rinsed his hands in the only sink that was not broken, and squeezed his way back out. The silver haired man stood directly in front of the toilet door and Naruto took a step back in surprise as the man raised a hand and waved at him, smiling. Or at least Naruto assumed he was smiling beneath the surgical mask he was wearing, he may just have been narrowing his eyes at him.

"I've been looking for you," the man told him and Naruto stepped from the doorway to the side, but tried to keep some distance between him and the strange man.

"Have you indeed?" Naruto asked, squeezing past a couple that was happily humping each other on the wall of the dirty corridor.

Naruto eyed the man suspiciously, wondering whether he was safe to talk to.

"I enjoyed your songs, they were good. Like The Clash mixed with The Strokes, a good sound. And you and your band mate, you have some good chemistry. The two of you up there is really quite something to watch," the man told him, following Naruto as he made his way towards the door, the music growing louder with each step.

"Thanks, and look mate that's nice of you but really, you go home and think about that chemistry all you want yeah," Naruto told him, his hand on the door handle. The man laughed, the sound muffled beneath the mask, and he reached into his pocket, the other hand stopping Naruto from opening the door.

Naruto first thought was that the man was a crazy fan, and had some kind of weapon in his pocket, so when he pulled out a white rectangle of paper Naruto automatically knocked it to the floor. The silver haired man raised his eyebrows and picked up the card, handing it back to Naruto with another strange muffled laugh.

As Naruto read the name and details on the card he realized why the man was laughing quite so much.

Naruto found himself sitting in the same alleyway he had been in with Sasuke earlier that afternoon, except this time he was sat with Kakashi Hatake from Konoha Records – one of the best indie labels in England, who was telling him he was interested in the band. Naruto tried not to just sit and stare open mouthed at the man, but often found himself struggling. Now they were out in the light, Naruto could see that the man wasn't in anyway old enough to have a full head of silver hair, so he came to the conclusion he had gone grey very young or coloured it that way to be eccentric. Kakashi had also explained about the mask, apologizing if it seemed odd, but informed him he had grown up in East Asia – and that such things were common when someone was unwell. Naruto had apologized for his remarks, but Kakashi had simply laughed them off.

"You're a rock star – you need a bit of attitude," Kakashi had told him, his eyes twinkling. "Look, go back, chat it over with your band and when you want – give me a call. I'll write my mobile number on the back so you can always contact me. Then we will get you in to play for some people at the company and see where we can go. I like you, I think you will do well."

Naruto had just nodded dumbly before promising to call Kakashi no matter what happened. The man had just smiled that strange little eye smile again and left Naruto staring at the white square in his hand.

He jumped of the wall, rushing in towards the dressing room where he was hoping the band would have returned to when he heard voices in the room. He stopped suddenly in the hallway, hearing an unknown voice coming from the dressing room.

"No Sasuke, you misunderstand. I don't want the whole band. I just want you." A male voice insisted. Naruto waited for Sasuke's protest, or refusal but there was nothing, only silence. The man sighed and Naruto heard movement from in the room. "Just think about it. You are destined to be something great Sasuke, and you will not achieve it with them,"

"Naruto!" A voice from behind him yelled and Naruto jumped at the sound of his own name, spinning round guiltily. "There you are. I've been looking everywhere," Gaara smiled, jogging down the corridor with Sakura following behind him.

"Have you seen Sasuke?" Sakura asked, and Naruto was about to say no when her face brightened and Naruto realized Sasuke must have stepped out of the room behind him.

He turned, and saw that another man had exited with Sasuke, and was walking away from them down the corridor, his long black hair whipping behind him.

"Who was that?" asked Gaara nodding in his direction, and Naruto waited for Sasuke to explain, but the other man simply shook his head.

"No one," he told them, his dark eyes staring straight at Naruto.

Naruto plastered a smile on his face, turning to his band mates and holding up the little white business card for them to see.

"Well, that's not important. What is important, is this…" Naruto announced, keeping the smile on his face as Sakura squealed and threw her arms around him in happiness. Gaara and Sasuke simply stared at the card in surprise and Naruto watched Sasuke carefully, wondering what the hell was going on.


	3. Chapter 3

**Press Release**

**The Whirlpools**

Konoha Records are proud to announce the release of the debut single from the North London based band The Whirlpools, on the 26th January. The What a Waster EP features I Get Along, which has already been listed as a 'Hot New Single' in NME and play listed on Radio One and live favourites Mayday and Death on the Stairs.

Discovered supporting punk rock band Sound at a live show, The Whirlpools are joint front men Naruto Uzumaki (21) and Sasuke Uchiha (22) both on vocals and guitar, with Gaara Sabaku (23) on bass and Sakura Haruno (21) on drums. Formed three years ago, the bands original line up only featured schoolmates Naruto and Sakura. Gaara joined the band a year later, and was taught bass guitar by Naruto to allow him to be a part of The Whirlpools. Sasuke was the final member of the group, who became the final member of the band only six months ago. The final line up may not have been playing together for long, but their live shows have already created a huge buzz, in particular the on stage chemistry between the two front men, whose unpredictability on stage has become a trademark of the band, earning them an incredibly loyal following of fans. Their live sets impressed so much that it saw the band signing a management deal immediately after they performed an impromptu live acoustic set for the management of Konoha records in the record companies reception.

The band lists their musical influences as ranging everything from The Clash to The Beatles to The Velvet Underground and beat poetry. This creates a truly distinctive sound to their music with songs ranging from a more mod rock influence to a more punk vibe. "We just sit down and think – what do we want to say? What are the things that have affected us? We are music for a generation who wake up and have no fucking clue where they are or what they are doing," Sasuke explains, saying that the band aren't trying to say anything big or important, they are just saying what they think. It's an honesty that's already won over many to The Whirlpool's sound. The band will be showcasing the What a Waster EP with a one off London gig before heading to Kent to write and record a full-length album, which will be released later in the year. A national tour will follow.

For interview requests and promos call: Yamamoto on 079866453


	4. Chapter 4

Naruto walked towards the flat the band shared, eyeing the darkening sky with suspicion as he wandered down from Islington tube station. He counted turnings in his head as he walked, trying to remember if the flat was down the fourth turning to the left or the third. Really, he thought, this road had no business being so big. When their management had arranged for them to all live in a flat together, Naruto had stubbornly refused. Jiraiya may not seem it but, Naruto insisted, he was old and he really couldn't leave him. He may not have fully appreciated the gesture, throwing one of his heavy manuscripts at Naruto and telling him that he was a moron for not moving in with a hot girl like Sakura didn’t scream thank you, but Naruto wasn’t about to leave the old guy any time soon. Plus the thought of living with Sasuke did strange things to his head. So Sakura, Gaara and Sasuke had moved in together, although admittedly Naruto probably spent more time there than Sasuke so unnoticeable was the others presence, and things seemed to be going smoothly. Tonight they would hear where their first single had placed on the UK’s official chart, and while Naruto told himself not to expect much from a first single, he still felt a little excited at the prospect that they might actually place.

He took a chance and turned down the fourth road, almost positive it was the right street, and his suspicions were confirmed as he wandered down and saw Sasuke sitting on the doorstep of the converted Victorian house that was their flat. He observed Sasuke for a moment, enjoying watching him without the other noticing before Sasuke stiffened, indicating he had noticed the others presence. Sasuke ground out his cigarette and immediately lit another, twirling what looked like keys around his finger.

The rain began to fall just as Naruto reached him, but he stopped in front of Sasuke anyway, looking down at him. Sasuke squinted up at him through the rain for a moment before he pointed at Sakura’s car behind them.

“Get in,” he said, not moving from his own spot. 

Naruto’s face scrunched up and he tugged the collar of his army coat up to try and stop the rain trickling down his neck. 

“What I thought we were just going to be in the flat to listen to the chart? I though Kakashi was going to come round…” Naruto trailed off as Sasuke jumped up and stormed past him, bumping him roughly out of the way.

“Fine, go on in,” Sasuke muttered as he wrenched open the drivers’ side door. Naruto glanced between the flat and the car before swearing and dashing round to the passenger side just as Sasuke started the car; he slid in and flicked the cars heating up to full. Neither of them moved, they just stayed sitting with Sasuke staring out at the road and Naruto staring at Sasuke. 

Suddenly Sasuke seemed to make a decision, and reversed the car from its parking spot pulling out and turning onto St. Pauls Road. Naruto had no clue where Sasuke was going, so just watched the windscreen wipers fly backwards and forwards across the windscreen.

“Erm… Sakura knows you have the car right? Just I don't fancy being arrested with you again…” Naruto murmured into the silence and his words seemed to remove some of Sasuke’s tension.

“That was not a good night,” Sasuke murmured, idly drumming his fingers on the steering wheel as they pulled up to a red light. “Getting arrested for fighting, thank god the manager of the bar let the matter drop,”

“Thank god neither of us decided to press charges,” Naruto laughed, “Can you imagine if we had? The headlines? Whirlpool’s frontmen in court accused of beating each other up!”

“The headline would have been a lot more inventive,” Sasuke muttered dryly, pulling away and weaving his way through the light Sunday traffic.

“Oh yeah? Like you can think of a better one!” Naruto growled and Sasuke contemplated it for a moment before smirking. 

“For The Sun or the Daily Mail it would be something like bandmates fists in a whirl,” Sasuke smugly informed Naruto, who scowled but begrudgingly admitted it was ok. Even something so incredibly minor had to be a competition.

Naruto went to turn on the radio but Sasuke stopped him, winding down the window and letting the cool, wet city air into the car. Naruto leaned back and closed his eyes, unable to think of anything to contribute to their previous conversation and just breathed in the air. He loved the smell of the rain, even when it was mixed with the pollution of London. He felt like he could faintly remember living in the countryside and the smell of the rain out there, amongst the woods, but he wasn’t sure if it was something he had made up. He was positive that he hadn’t been to the country with Jiraiya and the care home he had been in before that had definitely been in Brixton.

“I asked Sakura to borrow the car to go to the shop for booze and fags. Only somewhere big would be open at this time on a Sunday,” Sasuke told him suddenly and Naruto opened his eyes.

“So that's where we are off to?” Naruto asked and Sasuke shook his head, but didn’t say anything more. They were indicating now and Naruto noticed the turning Sasuke was taking was taking them steadily out of the city and into Greater London. Naruto almost shuddered at the thought – soon they might even be hitting the green belt.

“Where are we going then?” he asked and Sasuke shrugged, his hands gripping the steering wheel tight. Naruto raised an eyebrow then and wondered if he should try and call Sakura from a payphone. He dug around in his jacket pocket and felt some coins rattling around, probably enough to ring and leave a message saying what had happened. Unless he could convince Sasuke to turn around soon. Sakura was not going to be happy, neither he nor Sasuke were insured on her car and if they were pulled over she would never let them hear the end of it. Naruto gulped and really hoped that when he rang someone else would pick up the phone. 

Naruto sighed and pointed at a petrol station.

“If we don't know where we are going, you better pull in and get petrol, and food – I thought Sakura and you lot would be feeding me,” Naruto informed him. Sasuke raised an eyebrow, but complied with Naruto’s request. While Sasuke filled up the car Naruto rushed over to the payphone and left a garbled message on the answer phone explaining how Sasuke had kidnapped him and the car.

As he saw Sasuke enter he leapt away from the payphone as if he had been burned and turned to look at the magazines near by, pretending to be absorbed in them.

“Ah Sasuke,” Naruto smiled. “Some wonderful…sewing patterns in here,” he informed him, tapping the page as Sasuke came over to where he was.

“Get your food and stuff,” Sasuke muttered, not even stopping to look at Naruto as he wandered past, looking disinterested at everything he passed. Naruto grinned, shoving the magazine back and beginning a raid on the shop. He scooped up crisps, energy drinks, chocolate and some sandwiches and dumped them down in front of the shop assistant with a huge smile as Sasuke scowled at all the crap. He placed his own items down and the cashier rang it all up with the petrol. Without a word Sasuke paid for the whole thing, and they staggered back to the car, throwing the bags in the back. Naruto fished out a can of sugary fizz and, rather than walking to the passenger side, stood at the drivers door. Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

“You don’t have a clue where to go right?” Naruto asked by way of explanation and Sasuke simply handed over the keys. Naruto beamed and clambered in, trying to remember the last time he had actually driven a car.

“On days like this, I always want to go to the beach,” Naruto informed Sasuke, staring quietly at the rain hammering on the windscreen for a moment before he started the car. Sasuke continued to say nothing.

* * *

 

It was still pouring down when they reached the coast and Sasuke raised an eyebrow as they sat in an empty car park, watching the sea as it furiously beat against the pebbled shoreline. The houses of the quiet sleepy village around them glowed in the darkness and it made their little car seem even colder. Naruto left the engine running to keep the heating and the CD player running and Sasuke pulled some white gloves on that he had found stuffed in the glove box. Apparently Sakura was the only person in the history of the world who had decided to actually store a pair of gloves in there.

“When you said the sea, I assumed Brighton,” Sasuke muttered, glancing at Naruto from the corner of his eye. The guy sure was unpredictable. Sasuke was expecting the pier, rides and pubs from someone like Naruto but what he had got was a strange village somewhere out in Sussex.

“Please,” Naruto snorted, “only hipsters go and brood at the beach in Brighton, sitting under the pier drinking vodka. We are so much cooler,” Naruto announced, rummaging through a packet of Haribo for cola bottles. 

“Besides, I used to come here with the old hag when she used to come visit,” Naruto laughed, biting the top of the cola bottle. “She used to take me from the home and we would get the train out here and we would walk along the beach, then get fish and chips and then go home. I think we stayed in a cottage here once, but it could only have been for one night and she didn't really know what to do with kids so she just stuck some crap Disney film and let me take sips from her beer now and then. You wouldn’t think she’s some super famous doctor would you? This was before I was fostered by my godfather, and I used to sit in my shitty shared bedroom and think about how amazing it was here in this peaceful little village by the sea, with the friendly people, the little surf shops and the pubs and wait and wonder when she would come and get me all the time… I don’t even know if it was all that great when we came here together but whenever she drove off and left me at the home I always just wanted to be back here…”

“Why didn’t she ever foster you?” Sasuke asked, taking one of the fried eggs that Naruto held out for him.

“Hmm, what?” Naruto asked, distracted by his quest to root out all the types of Haribo he didn’t like from the packet. “Oh, well she moves around all the time, and I guess she thought it was more stable for me in the home. Plus, she didn't even find me until I was twelve and by that time, although I hadn’t met him, Jiraiya had already started trying to sort out me living with him so I think she thought he was a better choice…”

“Its quite rare that a porn writer is a better choice,” Sasuke observed and Naruto laughed.

“I know! But I was so horrible at the home I bet they just wanted to get rid of me in the end!”

They were quiet for a bit, Naruto staring out at the beach, frowning.

“We missed the chart,” Naruto murmured and Sasuke continued to stare straight ahead.

“I wanted to,” he told Naruto, putting his feet up on the dashboard.

“Why?”

Sasuke didn’t answer, debating on showing Naruto the reason why he himself felt so miserable. He fished out the magazine from the backseat and threw it onto Naruto’s lap. He stared at it, glancing between its glossy cover and Sasuke. 

“Page 23,” Sasuke told him, keeping his eyes trained on the sea so he didn’t have to watch Naruto’s reaction.

It took Naruto a few minutes to read through the review of their very first single. He was quiet for a few moments after, letting the words sink in.

“Wow,” he exhaled eventually, and Sasuke said nothing. “They really tore strips of us!” Naruto muttered. Neither of them moved and Sasuke wanted to punch something as he remembered the reviewer’s words. A group of nobodies who could barely play their guitars? Another insignificant indie band? He wanted to scream. Then suddenly he heard it, a tearing noise that implied Naruto was ripping out the page. He turned to look at him and saw that Naruto was smiling as he tucked the page into an inner pocket on his coat.

“Well you should always keep your first review,” Naruto shrugged and Sasuke stared at him.

“But it’s terrible!” Sasuke stated, speaking slowly as if Naruto hadn’t understood what he had read. 

“So? Its just one guy’s opinion Sasuke. A miserable reviewer who probably wanted to be in a band but had no musical talent and failed and so now he spends his time trying to bring others down.” Naruto told him and Sasuke felt his gloved hands clench into fists at Naruto’s reasoning. He just didn’t understand that things like this were important, things like this could make or break a music career and Naruto was just sitting there, eating sweets and being so goddamned nauseatingly positive about things. Sasuke hated him for it.

 “You don’t understand…” Sasuke growled out and Naruto spun round to look at him, the smile and lighthearted attitude gone and replaced by a thunderous glare. 

‘Oh yeah? Then tell me, let me understand why one review is so fucking important,” Naruto spat, and they fell into silence again. Naruto turned off the car engine and the two of them sat in the darkness, listening to the rain thunder against the roof of the car.

“Its not just one review. People, people who will then decide whether they buy the single, read it. People who then decide if they want to see us live, or buy the full album…” Sasuke announced eventually, and closed his eyes. “What people think of us is important,”

Naruto rubbed a hand through his hair and turned back to stare at the sea.

“Lets go swim,” He announced, flinging open the car door suddenly and clambering out into the storm. Sasuke stared after him as he watched the small figure making his way towards the water, pausing as he tugged off his converse and threw them down on the remaining strip of sand.

Sasuke grabbed the keys from where Naruto had left them on the drivers seat before opening his own door, standing half in the car and half out of it. 

“Jesus Naruto!” He yells. Naruto pauses’ rolling his trousers up and shrugs before continuing towards the sea. Before Sasuke knows what he is doing, he’s climbing out of the car and following his friend over the low wall, onto the patch of soggy sand. He reaches out to pull him back, but Naruto is already too far out into the water for Sasuke to reach without climbing in himself. He stands on the shoreline, watching the water tug at the edges of his shoes.

“Are you mad?” He yells out at Naruto, kicking a spray of water in his direction, which makes the other boy laugh.

“So what if it is mad? So what if I am? I’ve spent so much time worrying what people thought about me… what my family must have thought about me, what possible foster parents thought, girls I want to date, guys I want to get with… fucking hell even you. And do you know, people are always telling me I'm not worth anything, that I'm rubbish or an idiot. But this band, these songs Sasuke they make me feel like I'm god damn amazing, when we are up on stage I feel like there couldn't be anyone better than me… don't you get it? Thats why I do this! These songs... they are for us! We don't need to give a shit about what someone else thinks… when the music makes us feel like that!” Naruto yelled, the wind snatching away his voice and making it hard for Sasuke to hear. He wades forward suddenly, and Sasuke feels that familiar tightening in his stomach as he stares into Naruto’s eyes which are so serious and as always see right into the very heart of him.

“What are you thinking about when you write a song?” Naruto asks him, his voice louder and clearer now that he’s closer and Sasuke feels like such a huge distance is closing between them now. It feels like suddenly, he and Naruto are understanding one another, completely, a feeling they haven’t been able to capture properly before when they aren’t making music or performing and his whole being feels like it aches for it.

“You,” Sasuke murmurs, and Naruto is right in front of him now and Sasuke knows he can hear him. “I think about you,”

If his answer surprises Naruto he doesn’t show it, he just smiles and leans towards Sasuke. 

“Then as long as I get it, does the rest matter?” 

* * *

 

Naruto is shivering when they finally get back in the car, and Sasuke decides they should go to the pub to help him get warm. He can’t help but cast glances at Naruto as they drive, but the grin on Naruto’s face hasn’t faded, and if his revelation bothered him, Naruto hasn’t shown a sign of it.

They order a plate of chips between them, and Naruto manages to wangle a towel from the barman to dry off, making the other patrons of the bar laugh as he explains that he ran off into the sea. When he’s rubbed his hair dry he tosses it to Sasuke, who rubs the towel over his own head a few times before simply slicking the dark hair back as best he can. They don’t have enough money on them for drinks, so they sip tap water as they eat. It’s strange to have Naruto so quiet, but he barely speaks as they nibble on their chips, glancing around the pub before they sneak looks at each other again. Naruto feels like something huge has changed, but he can’t for the life of him think what. His eyes focus on the news story that's flickering noiselessly on the set and he nudges Sasuke’s foot before gesturing with his chin to the screen.

“Man City won,” He tells him and Sasuke snorts.

“Miracles can happen then,” he responds snidely and Naruto gasps in outrage, clutching his hand to his chest dramatically. 

“Take it back!” He laughs and Sasuke’s rolling his eyes.

“You don’t have any right to support Man City, you’ve lived in Brixton most of your life!” 

“I was born in Manchester,” Naruto defends, folding his arms and kicking Sasuke under the table. Sasuke kicks him back and before long they are stomping on each others feet, glaring at the other over the table top.

“Yeah, and I was born in Cheltenham, but you don’t see me supporting them do you?” Sasuke mutters and Naruto tilts his head to the side, curiously. Sasuke idly thinks he looks adorable when he does that, but settles for kicking Naruto, whose feet have forgotten to continue the game.

“I didn’t know that,” Naruto tells him, and Sasuke shrugs.

“Does it matter?”

“I’ve told you lots about me,” Naruto murmurs, snagging a particularly crispy chip because Sasuke can and grinning widely at the victory. Sasuke shrugs again and Naruto rolls his eyes. Trust Sasuke to clam up over the tiniest bit of information about him. Despite having known him for months, Sasuke had always remained a bit of a mystery to the rest of the band, who had all happily shared their own tales of teenage angst with each other, while gaining nearly nothing from the other boy. Naruto’s eyes flick back from the TV to Sasuke, who is now staring at Naruto contemplatively. Having Sasuke’s gaze on him always makes Naruto feel strange, and he struggles not to shift about in his chair. He breaks eye contact, hating to be seen even to give up the tiniest ground, but unable to keep looking at Sasuke. 

“Not much to tell,” Sasuke says, the moment Naruto’s attention is gone from him, pulling it back. “Born in Cheltenham, we moved to Kent when I was about five. Dad was a doctor, mum was a supply teacher, big brother was an ass and a bloody genius and I was Sasuke.” He finishes up, looking down at his own hands. “Mum and dad died, Itachi buggered off and left me and then I went to stay with some distant relative in Japan for a bit. Came back, got a job, and now I’m in a band with you lot.”

Naruto gapes at Sasuke, who’s deliberately not looking at him.

“I’m sorry,” Naruto mutters reaching out and putting a hand over Sasuke’s. He looks up then, and for a moment Naruto feels like he’s made a mistake and said the wrong thing, but then Sasuke returns the pressure of his grip and Naruto knows that he did the right thing. He opens his mouth again, because he needs to say it to Sasuke, he needs to get those words out and into the open like Sasuke did, but the barman comes over and asks if they are done and the moment between them is broken. Sasuke pulls his hand away quickly and nods at the looming man, who at least has the decency to look sheepish at having interrupted what was clearly an important moment between the two of them.

Naruto looks out at the rain and sighs, drumming his fingers on the table and Sasuke can vividly remember the feel of the around his own.

 “Lets go back to London,” Naruto announces and Sasuke nods, their earlier conversation coming back to him. He’d forgotten his distress at the review, and if he was honest he’d almost forgotten that anyone but he and Naruto existed, but the other boy is right and they have to go back, if only to avoid Sakura flipping out at her missing car. 

They spend the journey back with Naruto driving, and the two of them singing along to an old Steps CD they found in the car that they both swear they will never let Sakura live down. Sasuke feels like being away from the city has left behind all the tensions and arguments the two normally have, and replaced it with bickering and a sense of comfort and familiarity.

When they pull up at the flat, they find it dark and empty and Naruto checks his watch. Its half past ten and he turns to Sasuke and shrugs, turning the engine off.

“I guess they went out,” He announces, and Sasuke hums in agreement, wondering if they are out drowning their sorrows or celebrating.

“You staying tonight?” He asks Naruto as they climb out of the car.

“Might as well, useful to find out how we did seeing as we missed it,”

Sasuke nods, and lets him, thankful the heating is on to at least prevent them having to head into a freezing cold flat. Naruto wanders into the living room, while Sasuke grabs the spare bedding they always keep for Naruto from his room and he dumps it on top of the other boy, who screeches unhappily.

They get ready quietly, taking it in turns for the bathroom and to clean their teeth. Naruto’s snagged some clothes, but whether they are his or stolen from Gaara Sasuke can never tell. The thought of Naruto in the other boys clothes always makes him irritated and he can’t help but glance over them as he wanders into the kitchen for some water. Naruto is snuggling down onto the sofa, a bright orange t-shirt just poking out where his shoulder isn’t covered and Sasuke feels relief. There was no way Gaara would ever wear anything that wasn’t black, so he’s pretty confident Naruto is in his own clothes. He grabs his drink and goes to leave the room, but Naruto’s voice stops him. 

“Hit the light would you?” He calls, and Sasuke rolls his eyes, backing into the room and flicking the small switch, throwing the figure of Naruto into shadow. A streetlight outside shins onto his hair, making it glow, but Sasuke can’t make out any of his other features.

“Night,”

“I think about you as well you know,” Naruto informs him suddenly, his voice soft in the dark room and Sasuke lets himself lean against the door, turning back to look in Naruto’s direction. Even in the darkness he feels like Naruto’s eyes are burning into him and relief washes over him. He doesn’t need him to clarify his words, because Sasuke knows to exactly what Naruto is referring. He lets out a breath he feels like he had been holding since his own confession on the beach that day.

“And that's all that matters?” He asked.

He hears the rustling of fabric but he can’t make out whatever movement Naruto made.

“It's the only thing that matters,” Naruto clarifies.

Sasuke smiles and leaves the room.


End file.
